Ouch!
http://mvn.com/mma/2008/05/05/tito-ortiz-the-most-overrated-fighter-in-the-world/
http://mvn.com/mma/2008/05/05/tito-ortiz-the-most-overrated-fighter-in-the-world/
Tito Ortiz may look like a million dollars but is lacking the heart of a champion. Photo Courtesy: Zuffa, LLC
Tito Ortiz- The most overrated fighter in the World
By Jesse Motiff | May 5th, 2008
In the pre-fight hype for UFC 83, Charles McCarthy called Michael Bisping the most overrated big name fighter in the world. I did not agree with McCarthy labeling of Bisping, but it did get me thinking about who I think the most overrated fighter in the world is. I kept coming back to one man, Tito Ortiz.
I’d like to say I make this assertion with complete objection but I’m not. I don’t like Tito at all. To me he cares more about marketing himself than he does about being a great fighter. He’s more worried about being seen with porn star queen/girlfriend Jenna Jameson than he is about training in the gym for big fights.
Ortiz hasn’t had a decisive win over a big name fighter who was in his prime since he beat Ken Shamrock at UFC 40 in 2002. Since that time Ortiz has lost twice to Chuck Liddell, once to Randy Couture and fought to a draw against Rashad Evans last July.
He did beat Shamrock two more times but by the time of those two fights, Shamrock was a shell of his former self. A victory in February of 2005 over Vitor Belfort also didn’t mean as much as it might have a few years earlier. A win over a young Patrick Cote in 2004 and a split decision win over Forrest Griffin in 2006 just didn’t impress fans or UFC President Dana White very much.
Ortiz will now face Lyoto Machida at UFC 84 in what will likely be his last match with the UFC. Rumor has it he is looking for fighters to have his own reality TV show. EliteXC is always a possibility unless they draw less than a 2.5 rating for their special at the end of May on CBS.
Tito is still young enough to be a dominant force for whoever he fights for. He just turned 33 in January and has only 21 professional fights under his belt. He has the looks, personality and charisma to be the biggest star in the sport but without a fighter’s heart, he’s just another guy.